Part 24 (1/2)
”I knew not that thou wert known so well aland,” I answered with a smile ”But come, Michael, thou needst not to crave pardon of Sir Walter Bradley when thou dost serve such a noble purpose The ladies, whether known to us or not, coentlemen; and 'tis e pay respect to them that we do ennoble ourselves”
”Yis sor,” said Michael, as he buckled on my breast plate ”Oi knew that yer honour would pardon me fer lavin' ye, whin Oi tould what moine errand was” This as he buckled on a shoulder-piece
”Uh! what a pity, sor, to have sich arould in it, dinted with the pint o' a spear,” said he, when he had fastened on all butblast, and the heralds rode forth and entered the lists at the southern extre wind
Michael, after finishi+ng his e my splendid head-piece, went to the pile of lances, fro no point
”Not that to-day, Michael; for the rules of this joust do permit of pointed weapons”
”Uh! sure thin, sor, that impudint Catesby 'll take his dinner with his master, the divil, this day; fer will do Oi know, sor, that he's the varave Michael for his familiarity; for without it he should not have been Michael, and never did it harm me At this remark about Catesby I merely smiled and said:--”Have a headless spear ready, lest I do need one also”
”Oi'll do that same, sor; but Oi'd loike to see yon Catesby's blood upon the pint o' this, sor,” and he motioned with his head in the direction of mine enemy's tent and patted the point of the lance The faithful felloays looked on Catesby as an ene out fulland loud Then the heralds, which had halted in the centre of the field, separated, one re with their backs to one another until one reached the North and the other the South end of the lists, where each took his especial post Then the one which had ree of arue, that I ever considered tedious and unnecessary; for Heaven knows even the balance of these fellow's speeches is long enough, he at length reached the part that he had set out to say
”Know, all ye true knights and gentleland, Ireland and of France, or of whatever other Sovereign King yeand untarnished honour, shall here be permitted to enter for these tilts
All such aforesaid valiant knights and gentlemen, which have not ere this had their names placed upon the recorder's list, are hereby warned to do so noith all expediency, or be content to live without the honour of taking part in these noble contests Any untarnished knight now has the privilege of challenging to coht, whose name is on the record for this joust When such a number of these tilts as his Most Gracious Majesty doth consider to be proper shall have been decided, frost the names contained in the recorder's sheets shall be selected, by hts each, to which said parties shall be added one other knight for each party, which knight shall have the honourable post of leader, each of his particular party, by whom he shall be drawn
”In tilts of courtesy lances without heads htly weaponsto, the combatants
”Any contest shall be considered at an end only at such tinal for its stoppage by the honourable marshals of the field, or when one or the other of the opposing champions shall have owned himself up defeated
”His Most Gracious Majesty will decide who is the victor in each separate contest; and to the victor shall go the arer and its equipood knights on each side, they shall fight with pointed lance and with the sword until his Majesty doth see good to cause the contest to be stopped Then will his Majesty decide which is the winner in the contest And to the victors shall go the spoils, the sa Richard!”
”God save King Richard!” replied the other heralds
”God save King Richard!” cried the people, as though theyRichard!” echoed the city's walls
Then the herald at the southern extre-winded recitation in the self sa to the clearness of the rules, which ht have been said in two score of words
When the third had followed the example of his fellows they all three withdrew from the lists, and the marshals of the field rode forth fro, drawn up in line, arh for a day of battle, and took their posts in groups at the four corners of the field, ready to do their duty
My horse, fully caparisoned and iroom now led to where I stood, by Harleston's side, before ate that gave entry to the lists
My friend overtook er of a chestnut hue, as I could see fros Frederick sat his saddle like an armoured statue Verily, my children, and without conceit I say it, to a spectator we looked as though but few upon that field would have the courage to touch either shi+eld with any other than a pointless lance
Much then was ate at the end further from where aited, with impatient plumes and restless pennants, was, for sohts which waited at the North, flung open, whilst ours reht which, when he canized, by his device, to be none other than rinding ether, as silently I cursedforth to ht strike his shi+eld with my lance's point--for verily did I believe he caht with pointless weapon On he careat surprise and pleasure, struck he my shi+eld with the sharp point of his lance